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Mr. McFeely from "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" and Vietnam veterans will be on hand this morning to help kick off a new exhibit about the watershed year 1968 at the Heinz History Center in the Strip District.

It's no coincidence that the iconic children's television show debuted nationally that year.

Visitors to "1968: The Year That Rocked America" will be able to see the original set and several puppets from the first show. It's the first time the "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" set will be publicly displayed outside of the WQED studios.

As part of the exhibit's opening day celebration, Vietnam veterans will be at the museum to interact with visitors and share their memories.

One of the exhibit's highlights is a fully rebuilt UH-1H helicopter, known popularly as a Huey, which was a mainstay of combat operations during the Vietnam War. There are more than 100 artifacts related to what the museum describes as 1968's "seminal moments."

At 11 a.m., local guitarist Mike Palone will officially open the exhibit with his take on Jimi Hendrix's unique rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner.

All U.S. veterans and current military personnel will receive free admission today. The center opens at 10 a.m.